Method of manufacturing liquid container

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a liquid container, in which, a nozzle unit includes a blow nozzle having a supply port and a spare supply tube having, at a lower end thereof, a spare supply port. The method includes: an air exhausting step of exhausting the air in the preform to the outside by supplying a liquid into the preform from the spare supply port located at a bottom portion of the preform; a liquid blow molding step of molding the preform into a liquid container by supplying a pressurized liquid from the supply port into the preform; and a headspace forming step of forming a headspace by exhausting the liquid from the inside of the liquid container.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of manufacturing a liquid container containing a content liquid from a preform of a bottomed tubular shape by using a nozzle unit and a mold, wherein:
 the nozzle unit includes:
 a blow nozzle having a liquid supply port; and 
 a spare supply tube having, at a lower end thereof, a spare supply port, and the method comprises: 
 
 an air exhausting step of exhausting the air inside the preform to an outside by supplying a liquid into the preform from the spare supply port located at a bottom portion of the preform; 
 a liquid blow molding step of molding the preform into the liquid container of a shape conforming to an inner surface of the mold by supplying a pressurized liquid from the supply port into the preform; and 
 a headspace forming step of forming a headspace in the liquid container by exhausting a liquid from the inside of the liquid container. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of manufacturing a liquid container according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the headspace forming step, a headspace is formed in the liquid container by exhausting a liquid from the inside of the liquid container through the spare supply port located at the bottom portion of the liquid container. 
     
     
       3. The method of manufacturing a liquid container according to  claim 2 , wherein,
 the nozzle unit includes:
 a seal body configured to open/close a supply channel terminated at the supply port; and 
 a spare seal body configured to open/close the spare supply port; 
 
 the spare supply tube passes through the seal body and is displaceable relative to the seal body; 
 the air exhausting step is performed with the supply channel closed with the seal body; 
 the liquid blow molding step is performed with the supply channel opened with the seal body; and 
 the headspace forming step is performed with the supply channel closed with the seal body. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of manufacturing a liquid container according to  claim 3 , wherein
 a stretching rod is configured by the spare supply tube and the spare seal body; and 
 the method further comprises a rod stretching step of axially stretching the preform by the stretching rod with the spare supply port closed during or before the liquid blow molding step. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of manufacturing a liquid container according to  claim 4 , wherein,
 the nozzle unit has a pressurized liquid supply source connected to both of the supply port and the spare supply port; 
 the air exhausting step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in a pressurizing direction; 
 the liquid blow molding step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in the pressurizing direction; and 
 the headspace forming step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in a sucking direction. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of manufacturing a liquid container according to  claim 3 , wherein,
 the nozzle unit has a pressurized liquid supply source connected to both of the supply port and the spare supply port; 
 the air exhausting step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in a pressurizing direction; 
 the liquid blow molding step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in the pressurizing direction; and 
 the headspace forming step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in a sucking direction. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of manufacturing a liquid container according to  claim 2 , wherein,
 the nozzle unit has a pressurized liquid supply source connected to both of the supply port and the spare supply port; 
 the air exhausting step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in a pressurizing direction; 
 the liquid blow molding step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in the pressurizing direction; and 
 the headspace forming step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in a sucking direction. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of manufacturing a liquid container according to  claim 1 , wherein,
 the nozzle unit includes:
 a seal body configured to open/close a supply channel terminated at the supply port; and 
 a spare seal body configured to open/close the spare supply port; 
 
 the spare supply tube passes through the seal body and is displaceable relative to the seal body; 
 the air exhausting step is performed with the supply channel closed with the seal body; 
 the liquid blow molding step is performed with the supply channel opened with the seal body; and 
 the headspace forming step is performed with the supply channel closed with the seal body. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of manufacturing a liquid container according to  claim 8 , wherein
 a stretching rod is configured by the spare supply tube and the spare seal body; and 
 the method further comprises a rod stretching step of axially stretching the preform by the stretching rod with the spare supply port closed during or before the liquid blow molding step. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of manufacturing a liquid container according to  claim 9 , wherein,
 the nozzle unit has a pressurized liquid supply source connected to both of the supply port and the spare supply port; 
 the air exhausting step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in a pressurizing direction; 
 the liquid blow molding step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in the pressurizing direction; and 
 the headspace forming step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in a sucking direction. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of manufacturing a liquid container according to  claim 8 , wherein,
 the nozzle unit has a pressurized liquid supply source connected to both of the supply port and the spare supply port; 
 the air exhausting step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in a pressurizing direction; 
 the liquid blow molding step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in the pressurizing direction; and 
 the headspace forming step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in a sucking direction. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of manufacturing a liquid container according to  claim 1 , wherein,
 the nozzle unit has a pressurized liquid supply source connected to both of the supply port and the spare supply port; 
 the air exhausting step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in a pressurizing direction; 
 the liquid blow molding step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in the pressurizing direction; and 
 the headspace forming step is performed by operating the pressurized liquid supply source in a sucking direction.